Needle-threader.



W. J. SHEEHY; NEEDLE THREADER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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WILLIAM J. SHEEI-IY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE-THREADER.

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Specification of Lettersilatent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Application filed March 17, 1913. Serial No. 754,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM J. SHEEI-IY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle- Threaders, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in needle threading devices and has for its object the production of a device of this character' through the medium of which a needle may be threaded readily and easily.

A further object is the production of a needle threader which will be of exceptionally simple and economical construction, and which willbe eflicient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure l is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the needle threader is formed which embodies my invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the hook member included in the device detached, Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the hook member secured to the blank shown in Fig. l, said blank being in unfolded condition, Fig. 4t is a side elevation of the device completed, Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken on substantially line of Fig. t.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawing comprises a blank l from which the body of the device is formed in the course of manufacture of the threader. Said blank is formed of sheet metal, and as shown is substantially rectangular in form. To the blank l is secured a hook member 2 the outer end of which is very slender in order to adapt the same to pass through the eye of the needle which it is desired to thread, as hereinafter described.

The blank 1 is formed with parallel longitudinal edges upon which are provided ears 3 and fi. The ear 3 is utilized to secure the hook 2 in position, said ear being bent to embrace the shank of said hook member, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6. In order to secure a rigid fastening of the hook member 2 in position, the ear 3 is punched at points 5, through the medium of a center punch, to swage the metal into an elongated slot G which is formed in the shank of said member 2, as clearly shown in the several views. The points 5 register with the eX- tremities of the slot G so that the metal which is swaged into engagement with said slot, will engage against the terminals thereof and thus serve to efectually prevent relative longitudinal movement of the hook member. Also, the rearward end of the shank of said hook member is provided with a shoulder 7 engaging against the adjacent edge of the ear 3 to further serve to securely hold the hook member in position. After the hook member 2 has been thus fastened to the blank l, the latter is bent upon its longitudinal median line into the form shown in Figs. t, 5 and 6. The construction is completed by bending the ear et to embrace the opposite longitudinal edge of the blank, the resulting construction being firm and rigid. The blank l at the outset is bifurcated at one end, as shown, to form ears 8, said ears, when the device is completed, serving as guides for the needle in the insertion of the outer end of hook member 2 in the eye thereof. y

In using the device the needle to be threaded is preferably held in the left hand, the device being held in the right. The needle is first arranged between the ears 8 of the body of the device and the point of the hook member 2 passed through the eye of the needle, the ears 8 facilitating such insertion, as will be readily understood. After the passage of the point of the hook member through the eye of the needle, the thread is engaged with the hooked outer end of the former, whereupon said hook member is withdrawn from the needle carrying the thread therewith through the eye of the latter. Thus, the threading of the needle is effected.

l/Vhere the device is used to thread the needle of a sewing machine, the thread, after the insertion of the point of the hook member through the eye of the needle, as above described, is looped around the needle above the device, and by means of the fingers the ends of the thread, that is the sides of the loop embracing the needle, are drawn laterally from the latter so that the thread will be stretched taut in a position extending at substantially right angles to the hook member 2 of the device. The thread is then moved downwardly upon the needle into contact with the hook member 2, whereupon the latter is moved laterally from engagement with the eye of the needle. In this movement of the member 2 the same will engage the thread whichl is disposed at right angles thereto as above mentioned, eecting the drawing of the thread through the eye, as is desired.

A needle threader of the construction set forth is exceedinglysimple and economical in construction and hence may be manufac tured at a low cost. The device may be readily and easily manipulated and will be found highly eflicient in use.

While l have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. l,

therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but

desire to avail myself of such variations andv modications as come within the scope of` the appended claims.

Having described my invention what l' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A needle threader comprising a body formed of a blank having parallel longitudi` nal edges, an ear provided at one of said edges; a hook member, said ear being bent to embrace the shank of said hook member, said shank having a slot, said ear being swaged to engage said slot to rigidly secure said member in position; and a shoulder formed at the rearward end of said shank engaging against the corresponding edge of said earsaid blank being folded at its longitudinal median line to form said body and position said hook member between the sides thereof, one end of said body being bifurcated to aord access to the outer end of said hook member, substantially as described.

2. A needle threader comprising a. body formed of a blank having parallel longitudinal edges; ears provided at said edges; and a hoc-k member having a slender outer end, one of said ears embracing the shank of said hook member to secure the same in position, said shank having an elongated slot, said embracing ear being swaged at two points to engage said slot at its extremities to prevent relative longitudinal movement of said .f

member, said blank being folded at its longitudinal median line to form said body and position said hook member between the sides thereof, the other of said ears being bent to embrace the adjacent edge cf the opposite side of said body, one end of said body being bifurcated to aord access to the outer end of said hook member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VV'ILLIAM J. SHEEHY.

litnesses JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, A. A. OLSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of 'atents. Washington, 3). G. 

